18 When Levees FailAs New Orleans continues to
recover from its failed levees, Central California is bracing for disaster
with its aging levee system, and the Netherlands is leading the way for
flood control. Megan Sever

24 Hazardous Cracks Running
Through ArizonaPeople  and their groundwater
usage habits  are the source of a hazard that is threatening homes
and people in Western states, in which small cracks in the ground grow
to enormous sizes.Ray Harris and M. Lee Allison

30 Nudging the WeatherModern-day cloud seeders have
new technology on their side, but still have a long way to go before proving
their science works.Lisa M. Pinsker

NEWS
& VIEWS7
COMMENT
Oregons Recipe for Mitigating EarthquakesNew laws are better protecting
Oregonians from seismic hazards, but passing the legislation was a
lesson in persistence and education.Yumei Wang and William Burns

17 POLITICAL
SCENE
Its Not Hairspray: Americas Need for Science EducationAll citizens  including
and especially politicians  need to become well-informed on
scientific issues before addressing some of Earths most vexing
problems. Steven Quane

48 GEOMEDIA On Exhibit: The traveling SmithsonianBooks: Sharing Earths beauty: A review of Bedrock:
Writers on the Wonders of GeologyBooks: Societal shifts: A review of The Winds of Change:
Climate, Weather, and the Destruction of CivilizationsOn the Web: U.N. resources

52 PROFILES
Todd Hoeksema: A flare for all things solar

53 BENCHMARKSAugust
10, 1846: Smithsonian Institution FoundedPresident James K. Polk signs the Smithsonian Institution
Act, creating the U.S. museum system from the money bequeathed by
Englishman James Smithson.

60 GEOLOGIC
COLUMNWhere to Land?Crater lake region or
glacier  scientists have a lot to consider in choosing the
perfect landing site for the next robotic mission to Mars.Lisa Rossbacher